Recently we heard Erykah Badu perform at the Roseland Ballroom here in NYC. It is a beautiful, eclectic venue architecturally! The room was packed with collective enthusiasm as B, myself and our lovely friends, Mario and Laurie stood crunched in the back on our tippy toes to catch a glance of the star and her band over the multitude of heads.
Erykah is and always will be the consummate artist ignoring the herd’s version of what is suppose to be commercial in popular music. She reaches for the outer limits with grace, irreverence and honesty. You really do believe her when she sings, “ don’t want nobody sitting next to me”. Luv the moody blues hookability!
I am wondering though in the beginning of the show why Erykah took so long to come out on stage as the band kept playing the same riff over and over like a needle stuck in vinyl. If it was meant to build a healthy tension / desire to see the goddess of soul it didn’t work, at least for me. It was annoying but admittedly quickly forgotten as the diva slipped in front of her mic and sang her first buttery note. From there and into the evening we took an audiolicious tour of Erykahville. Oh yea, her band is hot. Only the best.
I’ve heard she is coming out with an album of jazz standards soon. Really looking forward to that!
~ India
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